Macbook Aluminum LCD Brightness Question

Thats very strange. Brightness wise, Alu Macbook should be very bright. In my room or my office I usually have my brightness only adjusted to less then half. I suggest you have it checked in an Apple service center.

As for vibrant colors. The simple answer: Macbooks do not have the best screens out there. These are consumer models so they have the same panels as the mid range PC laptops. If you want truly eye popping colors then I suggest you get the Macbook Pro as they have a vastly superior LCD panel.

But if since you have already purchased a Macbook there is still hope! You can calibrate your Macbook's display to improve the color on its screen.

Go here for the full details:

http://www.philmug.ph/forum/showthread.php?t=44582

 

Please read about the diferent types of LCD panels here. Macs usually have IPS panels, which are true 24-bit panels. Most PC laptops (except for IBM thinkpad flexview panels) use cheaper TN panels, which are fast, have vivid colors, but are less accurate and only support 6-bits per color--you can see the deception in the 6.2Mln color claim, which includes dithered colors.

True 24(32-bit) color capable panels, such as IPS and PVA/MVA types support 16.7Mln colors wihtout dithering.

For a first time user, IPS and PVA/MVA colors may seem washed out, but in reality these are more color accurate that the cartoonishly vivid colors of general purpose TN panels.

 

I have to add though that all laptops (including Mac laptops) have TN panels. Only the iMacs and the Cinema Displays have the higher grade IPS and PVA/MVA panels. My boss has the Thinkpad with the Flexview and it is probably the only laptop I have encountered with an IPS screen.

One simple way to determine if a monitor is using a TN panel is to simply view it at odd angles and you will see it will either wash out (when viewed at a high angle) or invert (viewed from a low angle)

Here is a link where you can test for the quality of your LCD penels:

http://www.lagom.nl/lcd-test/

I tried the LCD test on different Macs, My White 20 inch iMac, 24 inch Aluminum imac, and 24 inch LED Apple cinema display passed all the test beautifully. My aluminum Macbook, matte Macbook pro and my uncle's unibody Macbook pro did very poorly.

 

Maybe what Nuiko means is that when he is in windows/bootcamp mode playing games?? isnt that right Nuiko..

because when you boot up in windows, the screen isnt as vibrant and bright as in OSX, do try to compare, i think this is intentonal because apple doesnt want you as a consumer to get stuck to using windows so color and graphic wise it should be no match when you run on OSX...

 

Also check if something is blocking your Ambient Light sensor (it's to the left of the iSight camera). I also initially thought there was something wrong with my LCD because it turned darker when I tilted the monitor.